Surgical splint.



M. D. TOUA'RT. SURGICAL SPLINT.

APPLICATION FILED man, 1912 1 131 90 Patented M21119, 1915 2SHEETS-SHEET l4 WITNESSES 74 Ill/VE/VTOR THE NORRIS PETERS C0,PHOTO-L|THO-. WASHINGTON, D,

M. D. TOUART. SURGICAL SPLINT. APPLICATION FILED DEO.14, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W A0. M

ATTORNEYJ HE NORRIS PETERS CO). PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, D- C.

m Patented Mar. 9, 1915.

MAXIMIN ID. TOUART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SURGICAL SPLINT.

Application fi1ed December 14, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MAXIMIN D. ToUAn'r, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Surgical Splints, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in surgical splints such as areused for dressing and setting broken or fractured limbs, or the like, orfor correcting abnormal conditions or disfigurations of various parts ofthe body.

@neobject of my invention is to provide a splint which contains plasterof Paris or other equivalent hardening material and which will hold theplaster of Paris so that no material portion of the latter will be lostin the manipulation of the splint, and which has a sufficient number oflayers of strengthening gauze or the like, suitably secured and placedto properly reinforce the plaster of Paris when applied and dried.

Further objects, features and advantages will more clearly appear fromthe detailed description given below taken in connection with theaccompanying sheets of drawings which form a part of this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roll of surgicalsplint constructed according to my invention in its best form; Fig. 2 isa diagram illustrating the method of folding or placing the variouslayers of the splint; and Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 illustrate modifications.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the splint shown may be constructed in thefollowing manner. Three long strips of woven fabric of organic materialsuch as gauze are taken and folded lengthwise substantially along thecenter thereof to form layers 1 and 2 of one strip, 3 and 4 of anotherstrip, and 5 and 6 of the third strip. The strip comprising layers 3 and4 is then stitched to the strip comprising layers 1 and 2 along the lineof folding common to both as shown at 7 The third strip comprisinglayers 5 and 6, is then, along the line of its folding, stitched to theopposite parallel edge of the layer 1 as shown at 8. Then the layers 2,3 and 4 are folded back to the right (Fig. 2) and the layers 5 and 6folded back to the left. A layer of plaster of Paris is then spread uponthe layer 1. Then the layer 3 is turned over and laid down upon thislayer of plaster of Paris, and a second layer of Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented 111 ar. 9, 1915..

Serial No. 736,682.

plaster of Paris spread upon the layer 3. Then the layer 5 is broughtover and laid down on this second layer of plaster of Paris and a thirdlayer of plaster of Paris spread upon the layer 5. Then the layer 4 isfolded over on the line of stitching and laid down on this third layerof plaster of Paris and a fourth layer of plaster of Paris spread uponthe layer 4. Then layer 6 is folded over along the line of stitchingupon this fourth layer of plaster of Paris and a fifth layer of plasterof Paris spread upon the layer 6. Then the last layer of gauze 2 isfolded over upon the fifth layer of plaster of Paris and a thin layer ofplaster of Paris may be spread upon the top of this layer 2. The stripsthus form a plaster of Paris bandage which may be rolled up and is thenready for the market. The plaster of Paris is not only held in place bythe layers of gauze but permeates the interstices of the gauze so thatwhen wet, and then applied and dried in the usual manner, practically asingle integral plaster of Paris splint is formed with the threads ofthe gauze passing therethrough to increase the tensile strength of thesplint. Yet by the method of folding there is little chance for anymaterial quantity of'plaster of Paris being lost out of the splint atthe edges or elsewhere, during the manipulation thereof in preparing orapplying the same. Also the splint has the necessary thickness and thenecessary reinforcement of gauze without any folding at the time it isapplied. Also the various layers are suitably secured together either bystitching or by being integral so that they will not fall apart duringthe manipulation of the splint.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3, six layers of gauze 11, 12, 13, 14,15 and 16 are placed one above another with plaster of Paris held by andbetween the layers. Each layer of gauze is secured to another layer atone edge thereof by being integral therewith so that all of the layersare secured together and held in place. When applied and dried thevarious layers of gauze and especially the inner layers 11, 12, 13 and14 form a sort of network reinforcement for the plaster of Paris much inthe same way as concrete is reinforced by iron or steel rods or network.

In the modification shown in Fig. 4, six layers of gauze are placed oneabove another with intervening layers of plaster of Paris and the layersof gauze secured together by stitching them along the long edges of thebandage as shown at 27. r

In the modification shown in Fig. 5, the two inner layers of gauze 31and 32 are secured in place by having the outer layers 33, 34., 35 and36 formed of an integral piece of gauze and wrapped about the innerlayers 31 and 32. Plaster of Paris is carried by the various six layersin the manner above described.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modification similar to that shown in Fig. 1, butin which the inner layers a1, 42 are folded in a somewhat differentmanner while the layers 44-, 45 and 46 are folded about these innerlayers.

In each of the examples, however, there are shown outside layers securedtogether and wrapped about a plurality of inside layers which act toreinforce the splint when applied and dried.

I am aware that it has been sug ested to construct a surgical splint ofa plurality of layers of cotton-batting with intervening layers ofplaster of Paris. Such a splint or bandage however has the disadvantagesthat the various layers of fabric are in no way secured in place; hencedillicult to keep in place and liable to become displaced and fallapart, and also the cotton-batting does not have the texture necessaryto give to the splint the desired tensile strength when applied anddried. I am further aware that it has been suggested to make a bandageby placing plaster of Pa'is in a bag and then sewing the bag crosswiseto form pockets containing the plaster of Paris. Such an arrangement notonly makes the splint weak at the points where sewed crosswise but notextile fibers are provided running lengthwise of the bandage in theplaster to give the same the necessary tensile strength. I am also awarethat it has been suggested to form a splint by placing a thin layer ofplaster of Paris between two layers of tulle gauze and providing thesame with a reinforcement of wire netting. But not only does this havethe disadvantage that the parts are not easily kept in place and areliable to fall apart, but the wire netting forms an awkward, corrosive,weighty, cumbersome and expensive reinforcing means which renders thebandage very difficult to manufacture and to manipulate.

By my improvements all of the above-mentioned disadvantages are overcomeand a sanitary surgical splint provided which is simple and cheap inconstruction, noncorrosive and easy of manipulation, and in which theparts are not easily misplaced in transportation or use.

Although I have described my improvements'in great detail, I do notdesire to be limited to such details except as clearly pointed out inthe appended claims since many modifications and changes may well bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention in itsbroader aspects.

Having fully and clearly described my invention w iat I claim as new anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1. A surgical splint comprising three or more layers of woven fabric oforganic material such as gauze secured in place one above another withintervening layers of plaster of Paris or equivalent hardening materialcarried by and between said layers of woven fabric.

2. The combination of three or more strips of fabric folded lengthwiseto form each two layers of fabric secured together along the line offolding, one strip being stitched to another strip along the line offolding common to both, and a third strip being stitched to the firststrip at one of its edges, one layer of each strip lying directly abovea layer of another strip, and plaster of Paris or equivalent hardeningmaterial carried y and between the layers.

3. A surgical splint comprising a plurality of strips of fabric foldedlengthwise to form each two layers of fabric secured together along theline of folding, one layer of each strip lying directly above a layer ofanother strip, and plaster of Paris or equivalent hardening materialcarried by and between the layers.

4. A surgical splint comprising a plurality of strips of woven fabric oforganic material stitched together and folded along the line ofstitching to form a plurality of layers thereof, one above another, andplaster of Paris or equivalent hardening material between said layers.

5. A surgical splint comprising a plurality of strips of woven fabric oforganic material stitched together along two longitudinal substantiallyparallel lines, said strips being folded along the lines of stitching toform a plurality of layers thereof one above another, and plaster ofParis or equivalent hardening material between said layers.

6. A surgical splint comprising a plurality of strips of woven fabric oforganic material stitched together along two longitudinal substantiallyparallel lines, said strips being folded alternately inwardly along thelines of stitching to form a plurality of layers thereof one aboveanother, and plaster of Paris or equivalent hardening material betweensaid layers.

7. A surgical splint comprising one or more inside layers of flexiblewoven fabric of organic material, adapted to reinforce the splint whenapplied and dried and top and bottom outside layers of woven fabricsecured together and wrapped about the inside layer 01 layers, andplaster of Paris or equivalent hardening material, carried by sition,and plaster of Paris or equivalent and between said layers. hardeningmaterial carried by and between 8. A surgical splint comprising aplusaid layers. rality of inside layers of flexible woven In testimonywhereof, I have signed my 5 fabric of organic material, adapted toreinname to this specification, in the presence 5 force the splint whenapplied and dried, and of two subscribing witnesses.

top and bottom outside layers of flexible MAXIMIN D. TOUART. wovenfabric of organic material secured to- Witnesses: gether and wrappedabout the inside layers, JOHN S. BAKER,

10 whereby the latter are properly held in po- R. H. LANGLEY.

epllea at 11111 pateat may be obtained for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner el Pateata, Waahlnatoia, D. G.

